Chapter Twenty Five: The Prologue's Eulogy

         Love. Is there a reason for the word, or a purpose? Is there significance in such a small word? Even as a child I questioned the word. It possesses good, they say, but why is such a good thing so hard to find? They say that once you find it, it’s like you’re floating on a cloud of sensation and the most important part is that it cannot be changed. Love. It’s said to be unstoppable. It’s rumored to be uncontrollable. 

        Hate. A passion defined as so strong that it’s pure detestation. Unstoppable. Uncontrollable.

        I awaited fifteen years to see the two words collide. If each is so immovable, then in the face of each other which would win? If the loath is pure abhorrence in the face of an infantile, foolish love, which word would presume to conquer?

        If it seems easy enough an answer then clearly there has not been an absolute experience of both. Two words colliding in this sense is a rage, a fire that cannot be tamed so much that a man would turn against his brother. But not me. I know better than that. While in detestation a flower blooms, I now stand here questioning what happens to the flower. My country. My life.

        I finish reflecting on the events leading to this very moment. Kier had already given a speech to Aynah, told them about our history so now the only thing left to do was wait and remember how to correctly breathe. I wondered if anything we had said provoked people, or if it had an impact at all. But truly, this was the test to see the chemistry that buzzes when two opposing elements of nature are mixed into a substance.

        “Nobody has moved yet, have they?” I whimper, gulping back my fear. Kier clung to me tighter.

        “They will, Callea. They will.”

        After the long silence, both of the sides started to stir. I continued to wait for our fate to be decided; our dice to be rolled and our card to be drawn. Suddenly I saw two men from Aynah and three men from Kaithron starting to advance forward. I held my breath, closing my eyes as I didn’t know what could be coming my way.

        When they were close enough to touch us neither side moved. They just stared, imitating me more than the other side that they were staring at.

        “Prince Kier. We suggest you move,” one of the Kaithronese men spoke up. The two Aynahn men pulled their swords and before I could cower, Kier held me up and the two men of Aynah were at my side, not to kill me but in our defense. They were on our side! The Kaithronese men scowled in response, holding back a little. As they pulled back, the Aynahn men stepped back too.

        Kier moved to brush my hair aside, then looked at me with a smile. “No. You wouldn’t kill my child would you?” he questions.

        “You’re sick,” one of the Aynahn men spit. I closed my eyes, regretting thinking they were on our side. I pressed against his chest. Despite what they said about the three month old child growing within me, I happened to like the idea that it was his. “Princess, you actually believe he loves you? Who’s to say he wont kill you and take the land of Aynah and Kaithron for himself?”

        The Kaithronese men froze in their place, shooting Kier a questioning yet regretful look, as if suddenly that idea seemed like a possibility to them, too. I looked up at Kier. “Because he told me he loved me before he knew I was the princess. That’s how. Why would he need to take what’s already technically his?”